Bow-sotpobt tob auto-tops



P. A. SCHULE-IRT.

BOW SUPPORT FOR AUTO TOPS.

APPLxcnlou mio 1m29. m4.

l l 1,149,955. Patented Aug. v10, 1915.

WITNESSES:

INVENTUR wmnlmllmn;

PAUL A. SCH'U'LEBT, OF DETRO, MICHIGAN.

FOR AUTO-TOPS.

specification of Letters raient.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

Application fled January 29, 1914. Serial No. 815,102.

I To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Pain. A. Sonnmn'r, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented-certain new and useful Improvements in Bow-gupports for Autoflops, of which the following is a specification. 1

This invention relates to automobile to s,

10 and more particularly to the supports or the bows thereof, and it has for one of its objects the provision of improved means wherebyr the bows of the top are firmly held together when the latter is in folded condi tion.

The invention has, furthermore, for its object the provision of a. bow holder which comprises as one of its elements a link permanently carried on the uppermost bow and adapted to be connected to a member stationary on the body of the automobile or other vehicle; as the case may be.

Further objects of the invention will hereinafter appear and be particularly defined in the clalm.

The invention has been clearly in the accompanying m which similar characters denote similar parts and in which Figure 1 is a fractional side view of a vehicle body, the several bows be' shown in folded condition. 2 is a si e view, on an enlarged scale, o the bow-holding bracket attached to the body of the vehicle. Fig. 3 isa cro-section thereof, substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 10 denotes the body of the vehicle having at its side a bracket 11 to which the bows for the canvas or other top of the vehicle are pivoted. In the present instance four bows are shown articulated to each other in any suitable an well-known manner, these bows being dis# so astolieonthe outside ofthebody when in folded condition.

Secured to the body of the vehicle is a. bracket 12 having at its lower end a sidewise-projedzing stud 13 to which the bow holder proper may be detachably secured, this bow holder comprising a rest member 14 made in the shape of a trough adapted to receive the lowermost bow a. The rest member 14 isalso provided with a l 15 whichisaperturedtotonthe studa ve mentioned and which may be secured theretoby a setscrew 16, asshown.

Inasmuch as the several bows are generally linished or lacquered, the rest member 14 is provided with a. lining 17 of leather or other suitable material, to prevent abrasion, andinthe present instance this linin is held in place by having its op osite ges forced through slots 18 provid in the side flanges of the rest member 14, respectively.

The end edges of the leather lining are preferably undercut as illustrated at 19 so that when midend edges are straightened out, the undercut portions will eulage the end walls of the slot and prevent e accidental displacement of the same.

Famed on the front side of the rest member 14, is a. hooked-shaped projection 20 adapted to engage and serve as a fulcrum support for a lever compri a trunnion 21whichconnectsa`lirofsi earms22in the manner shovm in ig. 2. Pivotally supported at 23 to the lever, is a link which is connected at its upper end to the uppermost bow d, said link con.' substantially of a rod 24 to the lower en of which is adjustably secured, as for instance, by screwms, a bifurcated shackle mem- By referring to Fig. 3 it will be noted that when the lever L is in the position shown, the pivot point 23 will be slightly back of the fulcrum point 21, so that therefore a locked toggle joint is established between the link and the hook. When it is desired tothesame, orwhen thelink2-t is in inactive condition, as is for instance indicated by dot-and-dash lines in Fi 3, said lever can be readily disengaged m the hook and swung upward into the position shown by dotted lines L in Fig. 1, infwhich poositon it may be secured to the side of the w by a button 26. By virtue of the screwthreadcd connection between the rod 24 and the member 25, the length of the link may be readily adjusted, it understood that the swivel motion of the ever L may occur in both 'directions so that an adjustment of one-half turn of the shackle 25 or any multiple thereof may be made without destroying the eiciencyand operation of the lever Changes may be made in the general ortion of my present device, as well as 111 the particular construction of some of its component elements, without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially 1n the manner of adjusting the link to the various requirements as to height= and also in the articular manner of articulating the toggle ever to said link.

claim In a bow holder for vehicle tops, the com bination with bows adapted to be swung to osit-ion one above the other, of a rest memr having at one side thereof a. hook shaped projection, a link pivotally connected to the up rmost bow, a biureated shackle screwe upon said link, a toggle lever pivoted intermediate its ends in said biureated shackle, said toggle lever having one end thereof adapted to engage the underside of said hook shaped projection and the opposite end thereof slotted, and a turn button carried by the uppermost bow and adapted t0 extend through the slotted end of said tog le leverand to hold said lever in parall with the uppermost bow when said holder is not in use.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Cms. F. Scmrenz, H. D. MAcDoNm.

opies of this patent may be chained for ive out: each, by addressing the Gommisslnner et Patents. Washington, D. 

